(2:32 pm ET)Terry Francona has declared that Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis could land on the disabled list with right shoulder soreness that forced him to have an MRI on Sunday, per MLB.com.

Francona added that he wanted to talk the situation over with the medical staff and general manager Chris Antonetti before a decision is made.

Kipnis was on one of his many hot streaks this season until arriving for the team's current series in Oakland. He is 1-for-12 against the Athletics, but still boasts a slash line of .326/.401/.477 on the year.

(2:23 pm ET)Padres second baseman Cory Spangenberg will begin a rehab assignment Monday for Double-A San Antonio, per U-T San Diego. He has been on the disabled list for five weeks with a bone bruise in his left knee.

Spangenberg will return with a slash line of .254/.304/.356 and 44 strikeouts in just 177 at-bats.

(2:18 pm ET)Surgery is not an option for Pirates starter A.J. Burnett even if doctors tell him he has torn elbow ligament. He would rather pitch through it than undergo a season-ending procedure.

He went on the disabled list Friday with what was described as right elbow inflammation, but an MRI scheduled for Monday could reveal it to be worse.

"I'm prepared for (being told) it just needs some rest and if it's ... the worst (outcome)," Burnett told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It's a matter of doing enough treatment and building up some pain tolerance so I can stay on mound in the stretch run."

That might be difficult considering how poorly Burnett has performed since the All-Star break. He has surrendered 18 runs on 32 hits in 16 innings and has lost his last two decisions.

He hopes to perform as well Friday as he has in his last four outings, during which he has allowed just three earned runs in 29 2/3 innings to drop his ERA to 4.35, its lowest point since his second start of the year.

(1:31 pm ET)The absence of Jason Kipnis in the Sunday lineup for the Indians in Oakland has hot-hitting right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall in the unfamiliar leadoff spot for the first time in his major league career.

Chisenhall homered Saturday for the team's lone run. He is 4-for-11 since his recall from Triple-A Columbus.